Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. In the previous term, I had a lot of engagement with a number of the organisations. I look forward to continued engagement. All of the witnesses said the news and content produced is tried and trusted and it is correct information. That is extremely important. I ask the witnesses to provide short answers as I have eight minutes. What can be done to improve the legislation to ensure news and current affairs are enhanced, sustained and that we provide an alternative to the disinformation on social media? There is a restriction in some of the schemes, particularly for local and regional radio and newspapers because county council meetings and courts are already covered. Some of the funding is for new works. If an organisation has already been doing that, they cannot access some of that funding. With regard to radio, is there an indicative figure of how much money in advertising income social media companies take from regional radio stations? To be local, Midlands 103 and Shannonside are the two radio stations in my area, Longford-Westmeath. What funding is currently available for them? That is a lot of questions.